New research links avian malaria to loss of ʻakikiki in the wild, warns of more extinctions ahead

The ʻakikiki, a forest bird found only on Kauaʻi, is now believed to be extinct in the wild. The last-known individual, nicknamed “Pakele,” was observed on Aug. 29, 2025, and has not been seen since.

New research strongly implicates avian malaria, transmitted by non-native mosquitoes, in the species’ collapse. Scientists warn that preventing further forest bird extinctions on Kauaʻi and across Hawaiʻi will require emergency conservation breeding and translocations alongside expanded mosquito control.

The study was conducted by Justin Hite, Lisa Crampton and Eben Paxton, thanks to funding from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service — and was published in “Ornithological Applications.”

It draws on monitoring by the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) from 2015 to 2022. At Halepaʻakai in the Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve, researchers documented the decline of ʻakikiki breeding pairs and a sharp decline in adult survival that foreshadowed the species’ eventual extinction in the wild, with mounting evidence linking these losses to mosquito-borne avian malaria.

“Despite relatively stable nesting success, the population continued to collapse as avian malaria infections increased,” said Justin Hite, formerly of KFBRP and now the Mosquito Control Project Coordinator with DLNR DOFAW. “The findings indicate that increased mortality, rather than reproductive failure, drove the decline and provide compelling evidence of the devastating impact of mosquito-borne disease.”

Protecting Hawaiʻi’s remaining forest birds

For decades, Hawaiʻi’s high-elevation forests provided a refuge from mosquitoes and the avian malaria they transmit. Rising temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to expand into these formerly protected habitats, threatening other native forest birds, including the critically endangered ʻakekeʻe, as well as the ʻanianiau, Kauaʻi ʻamakihi, and Kauaʻi ʻelepaio. Only a few ‘akekeʻe remained in the wild as of October 2026, and populations of ‘anianiau and Kaua‘i ‘amakihi now number fewer than 500 birds.

“This research reinforces the importance of addressing avian malaria as a major threat to Hawaiʻi’s native forest birds,” said DOFAW Administrator Marigold Zoll. “Mosquito control, conservation breeding and translocations each play an important role in our conservation strategy. Together, these approaches offer the best opportunity to prevent further losses and support the long-term recovery of these species.”

Conservation breeding, begun in 2015, has already prevented the ʻakikiki’s complete extinction, with 31 birds in human care as of September 2026. DLNR and its partners at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Honolulu Zoo are pursuing similar emergency measures for other declining species, including conservation breeding and translocations to safer areas.

“These emergency measures are essential to keeping species from disappearing while we work toward long-term solutions,” said Honolulu Zoo Director John Berry. “Our goal is to restore healthy populations in their native forests, but we must first ensure they survive long enough to make recovery possible.”

Community invited to learn more at upcoming bird art exhibit

The public can learn more about Kauaʻi’s native forest birds, the threats they face and ongoing conservation efforts at “Wings & Woodlands: A tribute to Native Birds and Forests,” KFBRP’s annual bird art exhibit, November 6 – 12 at the Kauaʻi Society of Artists gallery in Kukui Grove Center.

More information is available at kauaiforestbirds.org